On the following day, the departure day arrived.

In the room, Duke Serguey found Anelise, or more precisely Julie, with her bare feet resting on the table while she read a book. He was taken aback by this behavior, having never witnessed such unladylike conduct before.

Sergey was froze for a moment

"Did Ah actually kill the old man this time?" she pondered, setting the book aside.

The old duke regained his composure.

"I thought you were ready. The carriage leaves in an hour... It will be a day-long journey, and we will arrive the day prior to the ball," he remarked.

"Perfect," Julie replied, lowering her feet and slipping on her shoes.

"Aren't you going to wear socks?" he questioned embarrassed by her behaviour.

"Who will notice? This dress has so much fabric that ah can barely move. Ah could even save myself the trouble and go without panties," she laughed, glancing at him. "It's no wonder that all the ladies here are fragile and bland. If I had to wear dresses like these all mah life, my body would resemble a turnip."

They promptly got into the carriage and traveled for hours. At times, they journeyed in silence, while other moments were filled with conversations. They made occasional stops to appreciate the scenery.

"Seeing Julie in this light, she truly appears to be an ordinary person," Serguey thought, admiring Julie and wondering about Annelize.

***.

At dusk, they arrived at the castle. Although they were not received by the king himself, a messenger arrived to extend a welcome to them.

"The king wishes to see you tomorrow morning in the garden. He desires to provide an answer to your proposal," the messenger informed.

The old Serguey glanced at Julia, contemplating the word "proposal." "But I didn't make any proposal," he mused.

The next morning, they were led to meet the king. As they approached the garden, they noticed a lavish table overflowing with an assortment of food. Dressed impeccably, a group of servants stood patiently, bowing their heads. In the background, the elderly king awaited their arrival, accompanied by a young boy with fair hair, serene sky-blue eyes, and a gentle countenance.

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"My dear, good old Sergey, I can finally meet Anelize," the king greeted.

The young man beside the king seemed exhilarated, and the monarch, stealing a brief glance in his direction, continued.

"Or rather, my future in-law, I would like to raise a toast in approval of your proposal, even if its still morning . It is worth celebrating."

Serguey's throat tightened. "Marriage? Julie had gone too far; she had placed him in the lion's den. Why would he allow himself to be ensnared by a pirate? But what could he do? Julie had outsmarted him."

In the direction of Julie, his gaze shifted, filled with anger.

Julie, who looked nothing like the person Sergey was used to, appeared rather timid and innocent, much like his daughter. This sudden realization only made him grow even paler.

"Well, don't you look thrilled? My old friend, we always wanted to be family, didn't we? I can't help but wonder what finally convinced you to marry our childs, maybe it was the lady?" the king said with a sly tone.

"Ah, your majesty," Julie stammered, her cheeks turning red as her gaze darted aimlessly.

****

Having arrived at the royal palace that morning, Maximilian was promptly greeted by numerous servants.

"Where is the king?" he questioned upon entering.

"I'm sorry, he cannot see you at the moment," an orderly replied.

"Whatever," Maximilian muttered, tossing his coat at one of the servants before making his way up the stairs.

Upon entering his room, he noticed a letter addressed to him from his younger brother, the sole survivor besides himself, who also happened to be the crown prince.

"Hello, brother. I hope your journey went well. Father has just approved a bride. We don't have an official date yet, but I would like to invite you to celebrate. Unfortunately, I believe it arrived after our meeting, but if..."

Without hesitation, Maximilian crumpled up the letter and tossed it into the garbage.

"That fool," he scoffed, collapsing onto an old armchair near the window. "Bringing me here for such pointless reasons when I have so much to attend to in the navy. Oh, how I long to return. It's all dreadfully dull here."

Seated in the chair facing the window, he closed his eyes, relishing in the warmth of the sun's rays illuminating the room.

Moments like these were the few instances where Maximilian truly felt alive, as if, for just a second, he was transported back to the ship.

"Ha, pathetic. I am utterly pathetic in the eyes of the captain, aren't I?" he pondered, shielding his face with his hands.

"Even in death, the captain would still triumph," he thought, slipping into a deep slumber.

****

Early afternoon had arrived, and Maximillian could hear a commotion in the garden. To escape the clamor, he retreated to the backyard. However, instead of the usual emptiness, he discovered a young lady amongst the flowers. Her long, red hair glimmered in the sunlight, and his heart raced when their eyes locked, as if time had never passed.

"You!" he exclaimed.